A Heart's Bitterness — page 211: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A HEART’S BITTERNESS. 203 “You must have off your wraps and stay to lunch,” said Lady Burton. ‘‘ We are alone. Kenneth has been at the castle this week past, overseeing plans for new school- houses. We have an undisturbed day before us. I will give orders to admit no one. ‘Tell us all your new joys and - experiences, my little Violet. How young and sweet you look, with the mother-joy in your shining brown eyes.” ‘And look at this love of loves,” cried Edna, dancing the baby free of the satin and down cloak, and his marvel- ous French cap. ‘‘ He is our Violet all over again. See— he has her dimples, and her short upper lip, and her pretty brown rings of hair, and her eyes, all ready to laugh or cry. — Oh, the pet!” And Edna caught the laughing infant to her bosom and smothered him with kisses. “‘ Dearest Violet,” said Lady Burton, tenderly, ‘‘I know how to feel for you. Your experience is mine. I know how this child comforts and soothes your heart, and heals its wounds, and sweetens your bitter cup.” ‘‘He does,-indeed, dear Lady Burton; and I am trying, oh, so hard, to improve, and to be a good, wise mother to him. He is so bright, you cannot think. Let me have him, please, Edna; I want to show you what he can do.” Violet took her child on her arm, and standing, an image of gracious beauty, in the center of the room, said, coaxingly: ‘“Now, Rupert, kiss your hand for mamma. Only see - him!” She lifted her eyes. Kenneth Keith stood in the door- : Way. There was a world of anguish in Kenneth’s eyes, as so unexpectedly he faced this woman, whom he devoutly and undyingly loved, and saw her in tenfold beauty and charm, with her child—Leigh’s child—in her embrace. Violet had not seen Kenneth since before her flight—a whole year before. She had sedulously striven to forget him. She had been absorbed in maternal love, and hoped, believed, that for Kenneth love had sobered into calmest friendship. But when she saw him in his noble, manly beauty, that look of deep admiration, and of renouncing agony in his face, a dagger seemed to pierce her heart, and she grew pallid as a wreath of snow. me enact But the baby Rupert had a decided and ungallant prefer- Eomicbooks..co